Holding in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
23 October 2001


Ashtead Group plc
Ordinary Shares of 10p

The Company has been advised that Mr J M Harvey, a resident of Barbados, has 
built up over a period of time a personal interest in 10,400,000 of the 
Company's ordinary shares of 10p each representing 3.2% of the Company's issued 
share capital of 325,131,194 shares.

The holdings are through the following nominees:


                                                         Shares

Citybank Nominees for Barclays New York               8,200,000
HSBC Global Custody Nominees UK Limited -            
      Account 813259                                    700,000
Roch Nominees - Account 0819648
      (H.H. Pension Fund)                             1,500,000
                                                     10,400,000